Hedge Plants: 5 Best Plants For Multipurpose Hedge Plants
Hedges add value to our garden – not only by appearance but security and privacy as well. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits and prerequisites of growing hedge plants. In the end, we’ll list the 5 best, fast-growing shrubs that you should plant in your garden. So without any further ado, let’s dive straight into the botanical ocean.
What are the notable benefits of Hedge plants?
Hedges have a plethora of benefits for our garden and its yield. We have discussed five of them.
- Privacy
Hedges act as privacy screens. They create a living boundary between our patio and neighbors or footpaths.
Nowadays, the biggest motivator to grow hedges is to screen out eyesores, such as oil tanks, AC outdoor units, sheds, and garages.
- Peace
Apart from privacy, hedges are a potential noise suppressor. The foliage ornaments our garden walls and, on the other hand, dampens the bustling noise of traffic.
- Security
Hedges are also security walls. If grown diligently, they can repel deer and pests to tread on precious flowers we sowed with all our hearts.
- Weather-resistance
Houses located on seashores face gusty, harsh winds. Sometimes, they spoil our harvest. But hedges are also windbreakers. They provide shelter from inclement weather.
- Garden Enhancement
You can encourage hedge plants to grow in various shapes and sizes. It naturally builds sections within the garden. Where it provides distribution, it also arranges a thriving environment for indoor shrubs that require filtered sunlight and partial shade.
Lastly, researchers believe that hedges reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and erosion probability in the soil. It is how hedge plants produce a nurturing environment for fruits and veggies.
How to grow Hedge Plants?
Not all plants can serve as hedges. There are certain factors you must take into account before growing fences for privacy. We have discussed five of them.
- Garden’s dimensions
First, you need to map out all coordinates of your garden. Then, decide how much space you want to cover with hedge screens.
- Hedge requirements
Afterward, figure out the height and width of all sites. Privacy fences would be taller and denser. However, you’d like distributive and ornamental hedges to spread over small areas.
- Climes and Seasons
If you’re living in the United States, most evergreens work fine. But the climes of India and Niger might be hampering.
Few species are resilient to snow, and others are to sunlight. Therefore, it’s essential to pick hedge plants according to your region’s climates.
- Routine Maintenance
Once the trees are growing, you should maintain them as hedges. Prune shrubs and stems from top and sides. It generally takes frequent topping and pruning.
Besides, pay attention to nutrient and water supply. However, the requirements of one plant are relatively unique from that of another. So much so the perfect time to fulfill those requirements also differs.
- Evergreen vs. Deciduous
Most hedge plants fall in either of these two categories. The primary difference between evergreen and deciduous trees is their response against seasonal change.
Evergreen trees produce foliage all across their lives; whereas, deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn. However, Latter has broader leaves, less energy demand, and more tolerance against extreme weather.
Top 5 Fast-Growing Hedge Plants
Fast-growing shrubs are always in-demand. Below, we’ve summed up the 5 best hedge plants that can grow from 30-100 cm in one year.
- Amur Maple
Scientific Name: Acer Ginnala
Best For: Deer-resistance
Hardiness Zone: 3-8
Amur maple is an attractive yet hardy deciduous shrub. It grows all over the United States and reaches up to one meter in a year. Overall, it is easy-to-care. But it requires pruning once or twice annually. Otherwise, it would soon take a crown shape.
As fall approaches, its three-lobed leaves turn fiery red, giving our garden a fascinating look. It thrives in low humid areas and well-drained soils.
- Western Red Cedar
Scientific Name: Thuja Plicata
Best For: Urban Areas
Hardiness Zone: 6-8
Western red cedar is indigenous to Pacific Northwest. It becomes the best, tall living privacy screen, once established. This species requires moist conditions, high-energy nitrogen fertilizer, and low maintenance.
Western cedar is famous for its sturdy coniferous wood, evergreen and scale-like leaves, and pleasing scent. Talk about hedging; it grows dense and acts as a windbreaker and a noise suppressor. However, deer and wild animals find cedar very attractive and tasty – that might be a problem.
- Portuguese Laurel
Scientific Name: Prunus Lusitanica
Best For: Seashore Locations
Hardiness Zone: 7-9
Broadleaf evergreens are native to coastal and salt-laden sites – such is the case with Portuguese laurel. Although it doesn’t grow as fast as Thujas or Maples, it survives in warm and poor conditions.
Portuguese laurels can grow up to 5 feet. They grow long and broad leaves having hues of green color. In late spring, they sprout tiny flowers. Laurels are true-and-tested hedge plants for fencing.
- Barberries
Scientific Name: Berberis
Best For: Urban Areas
Hardiness Zone: 3-8
Barberry is an extended genus of hundreds of evergreen and deciduous shrubs. They all possess unique foliage colors: white-green, violet, chili red, pink. Similarly, their environment conditions vary from one species to another.
Deciduous barberries are mostly used for hedging.
B. Vulgaris,
B. Thunbergii,
B. Julianae, and
B. Candidula are the perfect fit for hedging in the Northern hemisphere. They grow yellow-colored flowers and edible, spherical fruits.
- Firethorn
Scientific Name: Pyracantha
Best For: Deer-resistance
Hardiness Zone: 6-9
Firethorn includes a great many species of thorny, flowering plants. It grows sharp thorns that deter deer and other animals better than other security hedges.
Firethorns have tooth-like leaves and ripening fruit. The wax of firethorn fruit is edible and quite delicious. Furthermore, these colorful bunches add to the landscape’s beauty and attraction for pollinating birds and bees.
Final Words
Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed reading this article. Hedge plants require little investment, but they repay hundredfold in terms of embellishment and reliability. Furthermore, you can consult our experts for the delivery of hedge plants best suited for your garden.
